Adjustable bust-waist.



M. L. SOBRA.

ADJUSTABLE BUST WAIST.

APPLICATION'FILED MAY 14. 1913.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

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M. L. SOBRA.

ADJUSTABLE BUST WAIST.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14- 1913.

1,210,863, Patented Jan. 2,1917.

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er a i A -MARGUERITE L. SOBRA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ADJUSTABLE BUST-WAIST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 2, 1917.

Application filed May 14, 1913. Serial ITO/767,506.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARGUERITE L. SOBRA, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Bust-VVaists, of which the following is a, specification.

This invention relates to improvements in an adjustable bust waist, and which is known commercially as a brassiere.

The waist has means incorporated therewith by which puffs of various sizes may be formed in the body thereof, which produce a garment that enlarges the appearance of the bust of the wearer.

The accompanying drawings show a few exemplifications of my invention.

Figure 1 shows an outside view of the adjustable bust waist in position on a user, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the waist flattened out, Fig. 3 represents a plan view of the waist contracted on the adjustable radial elements thereof, Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary view of the waist contracted on its radial and circumferential elements, Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 somewhat modified, Fig. 6 shows the modification represented in Fig. 5 in place on a user, Fig. 7 shows a pattern for making the waist which is represented in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 9. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a further modification of the invention, Fig. 9 shows a section as on the line 9, 9 of Fig. 8 when the adjusting elements are drawn in position for a user, and Fig. 10 shows a still further modification of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 the waist is shown to comprise the body portion which is designated in its entirety by the numeral 20, the said body portion being made of one piece of material as shown, or may be composed of a plurality of pieces seamed together. The said body portion 20 is represented with the waist line 21, arm holes 22, the curved top edge 23 and back ends 24 with fastening devices 24. Pieces of tape 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 are attached to the body portion 20 in approximately radial lines thereof. The longitudinal edges and lower ends of the pieces of tape are sewed or otherwise fastened to the bodyportion 20 to form pockets with openings 32 to 38 at their upper ends for the strings 40 to 46 respectively. The lower end of each of said strings is fastened at a suitable place in the pocket. The longitudinal edges of pieces of tape 50 and 51 are secured to the curved edge 23 of the portion 20. The latter pieces of tape form pockets with the openings 52, 53 and the closed ends 54 and 55. Strings having the loose ends 59, are guided in the latter pockets and each have their lower ends fastened at a suitable place in the pockets. A loop 64 extends from the waist line 21 to secure the body portion 20 to a garment of the wearer.

Referring particularly to Fig. 7, in the waist line 21 are shown notches 65 and at the top edge 23 are shown notches 66, to locate the pieces of tape that form pockets therefor.

Referring particularly to the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a body portion is shown in its entirety by the numeral 70, and which is devoid of any arm holes 22. A lower edge 71 terminates in the end flaps 72, and said edge and flaps have connected thereto the fastening devices 73 and 74. The body portion shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is composed of a number of sections or panels 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81 and 82, said panels being joined together in the conventional man ner. Disposed on said panels are pieces of tape85, 86, 87, 88, 89. 90 and 91, the edges whereof are sewed to said body to form ockets for the reception of draw-strings 100, 101, 102 and 103, having each a single free end, and draw-strings 110, 111 and 112, having both ends free. In the pockets formed with the pieces of tape 86, 88 and 90, are detachably located pliant reinforcing strips preferably of very flexible whale bone or any other article producing the same effect. and which are indicated at 106, 107, 108. The strips 106, 107, 108 have extending respectively from their ends the strings 110, 111, and 112. Cross straps 115 have their ends fastened over the pieces of tape, to engage the latter strings. Pieces of tape 120 and 121 have their longitudinal edges fastened to the upper edge, of the body portion and each forms a pocket with said body portion for the strings 122, 123 which have their lower ends 124 fastened in the latter pockets and their other ends 125 extending out of the same. This modification is used by the wearer by connecting the fastenings 73, 74 to a corset, ordinary waist, or other garment. The body portion 70 may be further modified by being made of one piece of material. 7

Referring particularly to Figs. 8 and 9 a body portion is represented in its entirety by numeral 130, which is similar to vthebody portion 20. Pliant reinforcing strips 135 preferably of Very flexible whale bone, or of other suitable material are located in each of the latter pockets, and the strips have each fastened to their ends strings 136 which extend through the openings at the ends of the pockets. Straps 138 are fastened over the pieces 131 to secure the strings 136 in proper position, by either being guided thereby with their ends fastened together, or they may be tied to said straps. Pieces of tape 140 have their longitudinal edges fastened to the upper edge of the body portion 130, and form pockets for'the strings 141 which have their ends 142 fastened in the latter pockets, and their other ends 143 extend through the openings at the upper ends of said pockets. v

In the modification shown in Fig. 10, the body portion of the waist is represented at 17 0 which may be made of one piece of material or a plurality of pieces seamed together. A waist line is shown at 171, arm holes at 172, a curved top edge M3173 and back ends 174with fastening devices 175. Pieces of tape 176 to 180 are attached to the said body portion in approximately radial lines thereof. The longitudinal edges of the said pieces of tape are sewed or otherwise fastened to the body portion and form pockets with openings at their ends. In the said'pockets are detachably located pliant reinforcing strips 181, preferably of very flexible whale bone. Strings 182 extend from the ends-of the reinforcing strips, straps 183 are fastened over the pieces of tape 176 to and near their ends. The curved edge 17 3 has attached thereto pieces of tape 185. the longitudinal edges of the latter pieces of tape being fastened to the said edge to form pockets for the strings 186. The lower ends of the strings are fastened at a suitable place and their loose ends 187 extend from the openings atthe upper ends of the latter pockets. Pieces of tape 190, 191 are located in horizontal directions on the body portion 170 and below the other pockets thereon. They have their longitudinal edges fastened to the body portion to form pockets. In

the pocket of the tape 190 is loosely located a string 192, and in the pocket of the tape 191 is detachably located a pliant reinforcing strip 193 with the strings 194 extending from the ends thereof. Straps 195 are fastened over the tapes 190 and 191 adjacent to the ends thereof- A loop 196 extends from the waist line 171.

To use the invention and referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 the adjustable bust waist may first be considered with its parts positioned as in Fig. 2. The user then pulls on the strings 40 to 46 until the material is drawn to form the normal chest-line A, the relative position of which is shown by dotted lines in Figs. 2,5, 7, 8 and 10, making if desired knots at the end of each of said strings as indicated in Fig. 3, and then pulls the strings 59, 60 and ties the ends thereof together as indicated in Fig. 4, forming thereby puffs 150 at the front portion of the waist. The user then places the waist in position in the ordinary way engaging the fastenings24 with the adjustments of the strings 40 to 46 and the strings with the ends 59, '60, the wearer can also adjust the height and the width of the waist to the size desired.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the invention is used in a manner similar to that described and the reinforcing strips 92 to 98 give an approximatelyspherical shape to the waist in addition to thepuffs 151 formed therewith.

The modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is used in a manner asalready described, the ends of the strings 136 being tied in a bow 137. Fig. 9 brings out, clearly the eifect of the flexible reinforcing strips producing a semispherical surface 160 with the'pufis 162.

To use the modification shown in Fig. 10, the user pulls the strings 182 the ends of which may be tied together, or they may be tied to the straps 183 or a bow may be tied in their ends. Also the strings 192,194 are handled in the same manner when a portion of the body portion of the waist will be formed into puffs and take a curvature ofa semi-spherical form. The waist is then placed in position on the wearer by connect ing the fastenings 17 5 and engaging the loop 196 with a garment on the user.

It is to be understood that the constructions shown are only a few of the forms in which my invention may be made.

Having described my invention what I de sire to secure by Letters Patent and claim is:

1. In a waist of the character described, the combination of a body portion, pockets formed in radial directions on said body portion; pockets formed on one of the edges of said body portion; pliant reinforcing strips in the pockets lying in the radial directions; strings at the ends of the reinforcing strips; a string in each pocket. at the edge of the body portion, with one end of each of the latter strings fastened at one end of its pocket, the strips and strings coacting to give a spherical form to the body portion and form pockets therein when properly adjusted.

2. A garment as characterized, having a normally fiat front-body portion, said body portion being abnormally extended above the normal chest-line of the completed garment and between the armholes of said garment; and means for contracting said frontbody portion to the normal chest-line and to the normal front-body width thereof to form a puffed bosom for said garment.

3. A garment as characterized, having a normally flat front-body portion, said body portion being abnormally extended above the normal chest-line of the completed garment and between the armholes of said garment; a plurality of gathering members suitably disposed on said front-body portion in spaced relation to contract said body portion to form a conventional chest-line; and means for contracting the upper edge of said body portion to the dimensions of the conventional chest-line.

4. A garment as characterized, having a normally fiat front-body portion, said body portion being abnormallv extended above the normal chest-line of the completed garment and transversely between the armholes of said garment; a plurality of gathering members suitably disposed on said frontbody portion in spaced relation to contract said body portion to form a conventional chest-line; means for contracting the upper edge of said body portion to the dimensions of the conventional chest-line; and reinforcing means for disposing outwardly the contracted portions to form pufi's.

5. A garment as characterized, having a normally flat front-body portion, said body portion being abnormally extended above the normal chest-line of the completed garment and transversely between the armholes of said garment; a plurality of gathering members suitably disposed on said frontbody portion in spaced relation to contract said body portion to form a conventional chest-line; means for contracting the upper edge of said body portion to the dimensions of the conventional chest-line; and a plurality of resilient members mounted coincident with said gathering members to bulge outwardly the gathered portion of said front-body portion to form pufi's therein.

6. A puffing or enlarging device for use in the art described, consisting of an area of normally flat body material traversed by a plurality of spaced apart gathering members extending outwardly from a given point in fan-shape relation, the same being traversed crosswise by other gathering members whereby when the gathering members are gathered in, the edges of the portions of the body material inclosed by adjacent portions of intersecting gathering members are contracted by said members with resulting pufliness or fullness in the central portion of each such inclosed portion of body material.

7. A pulling or enlarging device for use in the art described, consisting of an area of normally flat body material traversed by a. plurality of spaced apart gathering members extending outwardly from a given point in fan-shape relation, the same being crossed by a plurality of substantially parallel gathering members whereby when the gathering members are gathered in, the edges of the portions of the body material inclosed by adjacent portions of intersecting gathering members are contracted by said members with resulting pufliness or fullness in the central portion of each such inclosed portion of body material, and the areas and consequently the pufliness of such inclosed portions lying farthest from the point of spread of the fan is greater than in the case of similar areas lying nearer said point.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 13th day of May, A. D. 1913.

MARGUERITE L. SOBRA.

Vitnesses A. A. DE BONNEVILLE, HARRIET HILLMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D G. 

